


Emotional Camouflage

by Spencer_Grey



Category: The Librarians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 01:10:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16587875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spencer_Grey/pseuds/Spencer_Grey
Summary: Ezekiel has issues and Jake won't let him deal with them alone.





	Emotional Camouflage

The Library was seemingly infinite, the winding hallways and doors leading to unexplored rooms that would appear at random added to the illusion. Although he won’t admit it, even Flynn didn’t have complete map of the place and if Jenkins did, he didn’t bother helping the others during the many times someone got lost.

Ezekiel being Ezekiel, found a way to use the general confusion of the Library’s layout to work to his advantage. His instincts were trained as a wanted man; it wasn’t that the thief didn’t feel safe there, in fact he’d never felt so naturally relaxed in his whole life but his gut was louder than his brain sometimes.

An overwhelming feeling that danger was creeping up behind him would strike at random times. It was more frequent when he first joined the Library and over time it faded to mostly occurring when there wasn’t someone trying to take over the world’s magic or destroy the Library; those uncommon times gave him a strange sense of ease.

When his body screamed run, Ezekiel found a simpler option that wouldn’t separate himself from the safe haven he’d found. Hiding was too easy in the Library, even he was finding new spots every week.

There would always be a thought looming the back of his mind while he tried to nap, read or just daydream; if he could find this place then what’s stopping the others from finding it?  
He quickly realized that they didn’t try to find him.

As good as Ezekiel was at hiding himself physically, he was shit at hiding his emotions from his friends. He would become withdrawn, distant and what little attention he had went out the window. And then he’d disappear. As long as the Door hadn’t been used, there was no need to worry.

The first few times he hid, Eve was determined to find him. The idea that one of her Librarians was alone and in a risky mindset worried her, despite the reassurances from Jake and Cassandra. Eventually she trusted their promise that “Jones is fine. Just give him some alone time and he’ll show up.”

It was only Cassandra that believed it though. She understood the feeling of needing time alone, and knew that trying to invade Ezekiel’s space would only make things worse.

Then there was Jake.

Walking through the halls alone and knowing that Ezekiel was dealing with something, wasn’t a thought that comforted him. Jake wasn’t as good at hiding as Ezekiel was. Even if Jake tried, he’d never be able to find Jones; so he hoped that Ezekiel would let himself be found.

Then one day, he did.

Jake was almost lost, he knew the Annex was behind him but whatever was in front was a mystery. Until Ezekiel jumped from a vent, almost landing on Jake as he did so.

An awkward “Hey” was the only kind of explanation he gave, then complete silence for the next couple days. It was only after Jake cornered Ezekiel that the thief's secret hideouts were even spoken out loud.

“It doesn’t matter, Stone. Just drop it.” Ezekiel had tried shrugging off Jake’s firm grip but he only tightened it, keeping unyielding eye constant even as Ezekiel squirmed.

“Stop, listen to me for a minute.” Ezekiel sighed but allowed the intimacy to continue. “I get it, okay, I do. You need time out sometimes but you can’t just disappear like that, at least tell someone.”

“Sorry but most times I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone, especially not to say that I'm scared and need to hide for a few hours.”

“ _You're scared_?”

“Nevermind.” Ezekiel's heart might have missed a beat. “Point is, I don't want to be around people.”

Jake paused, the last comment still replaying in his mind but he fought back into the present; if he tried to push on that topic further, Ezekiel would never talk to him again. So he forced himself to think of something that would play to Ezekiel's ego.

“Look, Jones, sometimes we do need you. What happens if you're gone and an emergency comes up? We need a way of knowing where you are.”

Ezekiel thought for a moment, he had an idea that he hated almost more than he hated that very conversation; but at least this way, he didn't have to see Jake’s intense, worried stare analyse every move. He sighed, and gestured for Jake to follow him.

The first place he showed Jake was an area he found after jumping from bookcase to bookcase, it involved climbing to a second floor balcony; which seemed impossible to reach as on either side was a sudden brick wall and from the floor it somehow went unnoticed. Making it the perfect spot for Ezekiel to still see, without being seen.

This was for a minute or two in order to tell his brain to shut the hell up, he is happy here and he won’t leave. Sometimes it takes more than a few minutes, but this was the safe place.

The second cubby hole was somewhere Jake should have known, the theater room. In the wall, hidden in the back and darkness, was a small door. It then lead into a cramped, tiny room and a wooden ladder. After struggling to maneuver his body up the ladder through another small opening, and having Ezekiel laugh at him, Jake found himself in a ventilation shaft. Ezekiel didn’t care to explore another further than just next to the ladder.  
This was for familiarity. Tight and high, like the places he was used to staying before he could afford a real apartment; but even that one was top floor and constraining. This was for when memories wouldn’t stop leaking, for the worse days.

Ezekiel didn’t see the point in showing he less frequent places, since he was there he had to show Jake the place for the bad days, the real bad days.

Jake was completely lost, he didn’t even realize they were going down until they were underground. They were in a tunnel and wondered what could be so bad that Ezekiel had to hide so far away, why would he need this place rather than his friends to cope.

They had been walking in silence, save for Ezekiel’s brief explanations but he had shut down as they made it further down. When Ezekiel did speak, it was so soft that Jake barely heard it. “This one’s not exactly just one.”

Jake didn’t ask what that meant.

Ezekiel stopped suddenly, Jake almost ran into him but then followed his gaze upwards. There was a metal grate in the roof, it lead into a room. From the angle he stood at, Jake could see a chair, and on it was an almost obnoxiously bright coat. One he recognised as belonging to Cassandra, she barely wore it but enjoyed it nonetheless.

“I like seeing her wardrobe, everything in there fits her personality perfectly.” It could’ve been considered a smile, but it disappeared too quickly for Jake to really see. Ezekiel kept walking.

He stopped after another minute, looking up again. “You’re hardly in your room, like Cass. I know it’s a little creepy, but I like looking into your rooms. When someone’s really comfortable in a place, they make it their own, throwing pieces of themselves to decorate it; except for you. Your room is just as boring every time I’ve seen it.”

There was that smile again, halfway between the classic smug Ezekiel Jones smirk and something . . . sadder, tired like he’s had enough.

They kept walking.

The last place he recognised before they got there. The distant echoes of Cassandra’s bubbly voice followed by Baird’s traced down the tunnel, meeting them from the Annex. They looked up through another grate with something above them, a table most likely.

“I don’t know if this helps,” Ezekiel whispered, as if anyone could hear them from down there. “Seeing you guys without me, not thinking anything’s wrong or even seeming worried.”

This was for last ditch attempts, when he was already planning on leaving but desperately searching for a reason to stay. Jake could tell, the way Ezekiel’s eyes darts back and forth like he was doing it now, told him enough.  
Jake absolutely hated this, seeing this cocky son of a bitch look like a kicked puppy and knowing that something irreversible happened, something he might never know about, and clearly no one offered him any kindness or compassion.

“Ezekiel.” Jake’s voice was low, still gruff but he tried to smooth out those edges. “Listen, I know what you said,” Ezekiel tensed, “but please, next time you come down here, come to my room instead. I won’t talk to you, you don’t have to say anything. I just need to know where you are when it’s this bad.”

Ezekiel knew looking at Jake would cause him to break, but he was an idiot and did it anywhere. Sure enough, his voice escaped him and a gentle breeze could knock his legs over. Ezekiel nodded. “Okay.” It was hoarse and shaking but it was enough.


End file.
